Folding umbrella.



C. A. BACON. FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLICATION FILED JAN- 28, 19M.

Patented July 11, 1916.

1471'??? ease CHARLES ALLEN BACON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed. January 28, 1914. Serial No. 814,865.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES ALLEN BAooN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to umbrellas, and more particularly to those of the type in which the handle rod and the floats or ribs are so constructed that they may be taken apart in sections or folded in order to reduce the total length of the folded umbrella so as to make it, when folded, of a length more suitable for carrying in trunks, suit cases or hand bags for transportation by travelers, or to enable the umbrella to be folded into a small space for packing and transportation purposes.

It is another object of the invention to provide in an umbrella of the folding type an improved construction by which the handle rod may be taken apart or folded in sec tions, and when in its extended position ready for use may be secured in a firm and rigid condition.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved construction of hinged floats or ribs.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved device for use in connection with a hinged float or rib for locking said float or rib in a rigid extended position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in combination with a folding rib for floats or ribs of umbrellas, by which the rib is adapted'to be normally locked in its extended position when said locking means is under the control of the movements of the stretchers or rib braces.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of the preferred form of the invention, which is also shown in the drawing forming a part of this specification, and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a view of an umbrella handle rod and certain portions of the top supporting devices secured thereto. The position which the top supporting devices assume when the umbrella is folded in the ordinary manner is indicated by the dotted lines in this figure. Fig. 2 is a view of an umbrella frame with the handle rod thereof in folded position, ready for packing. Connected to the handle rod, there is also shown one float or rib with-its stretcher and the stationary and sliding ferrules ordinarily on the umbrella rod. The remaining floats or ribs and other parts of which there are ordinarily a plurality of sets arranged radially around the handle rod, are omitted, to prevent confusion in the drawing. Fig. 3 is a broken detail View of that portion of the handle rod adjacent the joining of the sections thereof and illustrating the details of the swiveled connection. Fig. i is an enlarged broken detail view of a portion of the handle rod showing the detail of the upper spring detent for cooperating with the sliding ferrule. Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the broken and folded joint of one of the floats or ribs, and showing also the connection of the pivoted rib brace or stretcher therewith. Fig. 6 is a side elevation View of the same parts with all except the adjacent portions of the umbrella float or rib and the brace or stretcher broken away. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of sheet metal stampings, showing the outline of the various parts of the hinged rib or float joint shown in detail -1n Figs. 5 an The handle rod of my improved folding umbrella is made of two or any desired number of portions, two being the most convenient and the number shown in the drawings, the lower or handle'portion being indicated at 10 and the upper portion at 11, while the handle itself is designated by the reference character 12. The handle rod is preferably constructed of metal tubing of the usual construction, and the tubular material of which the handle rod is formed is preferably severed about midway of its length, in order to give the divided portions of the handle rod approximately the same length. The pre ferred means for connecting the portions of the tubular handle rod together is shown in detail in Fig. 3, in which the broken extremity 10 is shown provided with the threaded plug 13, one end of which is :inserted in the broken open end of the handle rod portion 10 and firmly and permanently secured therein by a rivet, as indicated at 14.

The lower extremity of the handle rod portion 11 is threaded interiorly to correspond with the threaded plug 13, so that the portions 10 and 11 of the handle rod may be joined together in a firm and rigid connection when the plug 13 is screwed into the socket inthe portion 11.

lt'is'desirable to prevent entire discon nection of the portions of the handle rod, but at the same time to permit of an easy folding or hinge connection, and such connection may be secured by forming a forjwardly projecting lug on the protruding end of the threaded plug 13, as indicated at 13, and securing a suitable U-shaped member or stirrup 15 thereto by means of a pivot pin 16. In order to make this con-nec- 1 tion universal to prevent the breaking of the hingeconnection b a twistin strain the -U-shaped member or stirrup 15 is preferlink in engagement with an elongated link v 18. The link 18 is necessarily considerably elongated to permit a sliding engagement between the same and its securing means in the interiorly threaded end of the tubular portion 11 of the handle rod, which means preferably consists of a fixed pin 19 passing through this link. This link 18 may .be

. constructed of a round wire of iron or steel,

and it may be closed in the link form in any desired manner, as by twisting the extremities at one end of the link, as indicated in Fig 3.

It will be seen that the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 will permit the link 18 to slide approximately throughout its entire length over the fixed pin 19, and thus permit the threaded plug 13 to engage the cooperating interiorly threaded portions of the handle rod portion 1st, while the swiveled connection between the head of the con- ;necting member or link 17 and the pivoted stirrup 15 will permit the twisting manipulation of the handle portion 10 to connect or disconnect the twoportions of the handle rod, and when disconnected these parts will afford a universal hinged connection between the handle rod portions; and this construction is at the same time very economi cal and efficient.

25 is the usual stationary ferrule secured near the upper extremity of the top portion 11 of the handle rod, and is serrated or slotted in the usual manner to furnish a pivotal connection for the inner and upper extremities of the floats or ribs which, support the umbrella top.

26 is a sliding ferrule of the usual or any desired construction, sliding loosely over the handle rod portions 10 and 11 between the handle 12 and the stationary ferrule 25,

except that it is limited in its movements by its connection with the rib braces or stretchers 27 and the usual lower spring detent 28 and the upper detent 29, of special construc- :,tion, both of which last-mentioned members are secured in the usual or any desired manner in slotted portions of the handle rod 10 and 11 and cooperate in the usual manner with the movable ferrule 26, the former to lock the ferrule in its depressed position, normally closing the umbrella, and the latter for looking it in extended or raised position. The spring detent 29 is of special construction in that it is provided with an extension 29 terminating in a detent 29 protruding from the body of the handle rod portion 11 in a position where it normally may prevent the upward movement of the sliding ferrule 26 on the handle rod beyond a given point determined by the projection 29 unless it is desired to fold the handle rod and the floats or ribs supporting the umbrella top'in the manner to be presently described.

As is the custom in the manufacture of modern umbrellas, both the rib braces or stretchers and the ribs or floats are con structed of the usual metallic portions of channel form. These are generally formed of suitable sheet metal. The pivotal connections between the fixed and movable ferrules and the stretchers and ribs are formed in the usual manner by compressing the material of the channel sections of ribs and stretchers, and piercing the same to take the usual rings or pivot wires in the grooved peripheries of the ferrules.

Except for certain details which will now be described, the stretchers and ribs are of the usual form and length, although in order to fold the entire umbrella so as to reduce its total folded length to the required condition, the ribs or floats are divided into two portions near their middle and are hinged or joined or pivotally connected together by special means, which will now be described. The portions of the ribs or floats aredesignated in the drawings by the reference characters 35 and 36. It will be seen that by dividing the ribs into two portions 35 and 36 of about equal length, the portion 36 being perhaps a little longer than the portion 35 pivotally connected with the stationary ferrule. the ribs or floats, when folded as shown in Fig. 2, will occupy a position where their ends or extremities normally on the periphery of the umbrella top will extend somewhat beyond the stationary ferrule but yet not beyond the upper extremity of the handle rod, which will protect these exposed ends when the ribs are in the folded position. At the same time, it is desirable that the divided portions 35 of the ribs or floats shall be proportioned to the upper divided portion 11 of the handle rod, so that when folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 the hinged portion. shall be somewhat shorter than the protruding end of the handle rod 11 at the hinged end thereof, thus serving as a protecting means for certain delicate portions of the hinged connection of the ribs or floats to be described.

In order to fold the ribs or floats to enable the umbrella to be folded into a package of relatively short length, as indicated in Fig. 2, the portion 36 of each rib or float is pivotally connected with the portion 35 by a connection designed to hold the porfor rendering the hinge connection rigid when desired and capable of being collapsed or folded when desired, in the manner and by the means which will now be described. The usual hinge connection between the stretcher 27 and the rib or float 35, 36 is combined in a special construction of a two-part hinge connection designed to afford a suitably braced hinged connection having suflicient strength for the conditions involved.

In Figs. 7 and 8 are shown sheet metal blanks given the necessary outline to be formed into the hinge connections shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, and also shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 6 is shown the complete hinge made of the two blanks shown in Figs. 7 and 8, secured on the broken portions 35 and 36 of the floats or ribs and joined together in a hinged or pivotal relation by the hinge pin 38. It will be seen that the irregularly formed sheet metal blank of Fig. 7 makes, when folded along the dotted lines as shown in Fig. 7, the hinge member secured on the float or rib portion 35, while the blank of Fig. 8 will produce, when folded along the dotted lines as indicated in Fig. 8, the hinge member secured to the float or rib portion 36. The main body portion of the blank of Fig. 7 is designated generally by the reference character 40, and the part thereof between the longitudinally extended parallel dotted lines showing the line of fold comprises a su'l'ficient amount of the sheet metal material to surround the outer periphery of the float or rib portion 35, which is U-shaped in cross-section, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5 which is an end View of one of the folded floats or ribs, being taken on the line 5 of Fig. 2. The body portion of the blank 40 beyond the longitudinal parallel lines of fold is provided with the two pairs of short projections on each side, indicated by the reference characters 40 and 40 These projections are designed to be folded over onto the interior or channel of the U-shaped ribs or float portions 35 in the manner in which the projections 40 are shown folded in Fig. '5, and they serve to firmly bind the hinge portion 40 to secure it to the float or rib portion 35. At the end of the hinge portions 40 opposite the projections 40 referred to, there are on either side irregularly shaped projections designated by the reference character 40, designed to be folded first along the two main parallel lines of fold, along the angular lines of fold designated by the broken lines 40 These large irregular projections 40 terminate at their outer extremities in tongues or projections 40, which extend at an angle, as shown in Fig. 7, so that when folded along the lines of fold indicated the projections l0 will extend or protrude from the forward end of the hinge member lO so that both these members may'be pierced by a common opening for a hinge pin; and, if desired, for the purpose of strengthening the hinge connection their ends may be formed of sufficient length, as indicated in Fig. 7 by 40, so that the material may be doubled back upon itself, thus giving to this hinge connection or hinge member cooperating with the hinge pin, four normal thicknesses of material, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. Either before or after the blanks are given the necessary folds to form the hinges, the members l-O and 40 are pierced with registering holes for the hinge pin 38.

In order that suitable means may be provided for pivotally securing the rib braces or stretcher-s 27 to the hinge members 450, the blanks are formed with the projections 40 adapted to be folded also along the common parallel lines of fold and strengthened, if desired, by being given an increased length, as indicated by portions 40 adapted to be folded over and upon the portions 40 along the lines of fold indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, so that a hinge socket formed of the four thicknesses of material, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 5, will result, and between which the flattened extremity 27 of the stretcher or rib brace will be pivotally supported by the hinge pin 41. The hinge connection 27 on the stretcher or rib brace 27 will preferably be formed in the usual manner by compressing the legs of the U-shaped sections together, thus forming a hinge member of two thicknesses of material, as illustrated. The blank shown in Fig. 8 from which the hinge member on the rib or float 36 is formed has its body portion designated by the reference character 42, and beyond the parallel longitudinal lines of fold is provided with extensions 42 adapted to be folded onto the interior of the j 1.-

extremity of the U-shaped rib 36, in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, this means of securement being similar to that shown on the cooperating hinge member 40. Extending from the body portion 42 of this hinged l-lO operating hinge member 40, the main hinge connection on this member will consist of four thicknesses of material, as shown most iclearly in Fig. 5. So that in all, the main shown' in Figs. 5, 6 and other views.

hinge pin 38 will pass through eight thicknesses of the sheet metal material of which the hinge members 40 and 42 are constructed. Either before or after the blanks 42 are formed into the hinge members, as illustrated, the material comprising the portions 42 and 42 which form the spaced leaves of the hinge member may be pierced to take the common hinge pin 38 in the manner shown in Fig. 8, the pin being The parts of thehinge connections 40 and 42 thus far described have referred only to the pivotal connections secured by these hinge members between the portions 35 and 36 of the floats or ribs of my improved umbrella.

An important feature of my invention is the special means I provide for locking the hinge connection between the rib or float portions 35, 36, so that these portions will in effect produce a rib of rigid material when the umbrella is in operative position with the ribs extended to extend the umbrella top ordinarily supported on the ribs or floats.

To accomplish this result I secure preferably to the rib or float portion 36, as at 50, a spring 51 provided with a head or cross extension at its forward extremity as indicated at 51. hen the material of the hinge member 40 is folded along the angular lines 40, there will be formed two angularly projecting lugs which, for convenience, on the drawings Figs. 2, 5 and 6 are designated also by the reference character 40 These projections or lugs 40 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the entry of the body portionof the spring 51 therebetwe'en, and the fastening 50 of this spring to the rib or float portion 36 is of a character to cause the spring 51 to tend normally to enter between these lugs and to cause the cross headr51 on this spring to enter beyond the extremities of the projections or lugs 40, which are given an abrupt angular form, so that looking engagement between the spring 51 and the lugs 40 on the hinge member 40 will normally be secured when the umbrella is in the open position with the movable ferrule engaged by the locking device orspring 29. Also the engagement of the cross member 51 on the spring 51, with the hinge member 40, will lock the rib portions 35 and 36 into rigid engagement with each other so that, in

effect, the rib or float portions 35, 36 will be rigid and continuous.

In order to control the operation of the spring 51, I P eferably ext nd the hinge when the rib braces or stretchers are in a position to hold the umbrella ribs or floats in an extended or open position, these projections 27 will approach the body of the rib or float a sufiicient distance to allow the spring 51 to enter between the lugs or projections 40, in a manner illustrated for example in Fig. 1, thus locking the rib portions 35, 36 in their open and operative relation. But when it is desired to fold the umbrella and permit the rib portions 35, 36 to bev folded upon themselves, the hinge portions 27 of the float or rib brace will be brought to the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 6, so that the extremity of the hinge portion of this rib brace will engage the cross member 51 on the spring 51 and cause the same to be carried to a position away from the rib body, so that the portion 36 may be folded upon the hinge pin 38 of the rib portion The. relation of the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 6, causing the disengagement of the looking spring 51 will be secured by sliding of the movable ferrule 26 toward the stationary ferrule 25 and beyond the locking spring member 29; or, stated in other words, the operation of folding the handle rod and floats or ribs of the umbrella together with the top carried thereby may be accomplished by first sliding the morable ferrule 26 to the position where the umbrella is normally opened, with the top in the extended position, and by pressing inwardly upon the locking spring 29, the locking projection 29 thereon normally preventing further upward movementof the sliding ferrule 26 will permit this forrule to approach the stationary ferrule 25, which will carry the stretcher or rib brace 27 to the position it assumes in Fig. 6, when the spring 51 will unlock the hinge connections 40, 42 and permit the folding of the floating rib portions 36 over and upon the rib portions 35 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. At this time, the handle rod will still be in extended position, and this may now be disconnected by simply screwing the threaded plug 13 out of its threaded stretchers are in the normal extended position to support the top, or what is known as the opened position, as shown in Fig. 1, the hinge projections thereon will not cause the disengagement of the locking springs 51, and furthermore it will be seen that in the normal operation of the umbrella, in raising and lowering the top the locking springs 51 will not be affected, so that my improved umbrella will have the rib or float portions 35, 36 normally locked in rigid or extended relation and the sliding ferrule may be operated from the normal closed position of the umbrella as shown by the position of the ferrule and other parts in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to the position where the umbrella is normally open, shown by full lines in the same figure; and it will be further seen that the stop 29 on the detent 29 will normally tend to prevent the ribs and floats of the umbrella getting into a position Where the hinges of the ribs or floats may be caused to operate on their hinge pins, and the umbrella will therefore be seen to operate in the ordinary manner in opening and closing, as common umbrellas of the non-folding type.

In order that the invention might be fully understood, the details of the preferred embodiment have been shown and described, but it is not desired to be limited thereto, since the purpose and spirit of the invention may be embodied by a person skilled in the art in various modifications of the embodiment shown.

I claim:

1. The combination in an umbrella, of a handle rod, a rib pivotally connected therewith, said rib comprising two sections pivotally connected to each other by a hinged joint, and an elastically controlled locking device secured to one of the rib sections and being adapted to cooperate with a rigid locking member on the other section of the rib to lock said sections of the rib in a rigid extended relation, a ferrule to slide on the handle rod, a brace or stretcher of internal and relatively rigid construction being pivotally secured at one extremity to the said sliding ferrule and its other extremity being pivotally connected to one of the sections of the said rib, there being a projection on the said brace or stretcher beyond its pivotal connection with the rib section adapted to engage the said elastically controlled locking device when said brace or stretcher is moved to a position nearer parallel in relation to the said rib than the normal position of the said brace or stretcher when the rib or float is extended in its normal open position, and hand operated looking means interposed between the handle rod and ferrule.

52. lhe combination in an umbrella, of a handle rod, a rib pivotally connected therewith, said rib comprising two sections hingedly connected together, a locking device comprising a spring formed with a cross member at one end and being secured to one of the sections of the rib, a rigid locking device comprising a plurality of spaced lugs secured to the cooperating section of the rib on opposite sides of the said spring adjacent the cross member thereof, a brace or stretcher pivotally connected to the last said section of the rib, and means operated by the movement of the brace or stretcher in relation to the rib for disengaging the spring-controlled locking device from its cooperating rigid locking device on the rib.

3. The combination with the handle rod of an umbrella, of a rib pivotally connected therewith, said rib comprising two sections hingedly connected together, there being a spring controlled locking device secured to one of the said sections and a rigid cooperating locking lug on the other of the said sections, a sliding ferrule on the handle rod, a brace or stretcher of integral and relatively rigid construction connected therewith, and having pivotal connection at its opposite extremity with one section of the said rib, a projection on said brace or stretcher beyond its pivotal connection with the said rib, said projection being adapted to engage the said elastically controlled locking device for disengaging the same from the said locking lug on the rib, and hand operated locking means for locking the said ferrule in relation to the handle rod.

4. The combination with the handle rod of an umbrella, of a rib comprising two hingedly connected sections, pivotally connected with said handle rod, a rigid locking member secured to one of the said sections of the rib and an elastically controlled latch adapted to cooperate with said looking member being secured to the other said rib section, a brace or stretcher for operating said rib pivotally connected to one of I the said sections thereof, and a projection on the said brace or stretcher beyond the pivotal connection with the said rib, said projection being adapted to engage the said elastically controlled latch to render the same operative or inoperative to lock the sections of the rib in their rigid or extended position at the will of the operator accordingly as the angle between the said brace or stretcher and the rib is varied.

5. The combination of a handle rod of an umbrella, of a rib pivotally secured thereto, and comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sections, an elastically controlled locking device secured to one of the said rib sections, and being adapted to cooperate with means on the other of said sections for locking the said sections in their rigid or extended relation, a brace or stretcher for opening and closing the said rib, a proje'ction on the brace or stretcher for engagor stretcher is brought to a position approxi-- mately parallel with the rigidly extended rib, a ferrule slidably' mounted on the handle-rod and being pivotally connected with the brace or stretcher, and means for looking the ferrule in engagement with the handle rod.

6. An umbrella comprising a rod, a rib made up of two sections pivoted together on one of the rib sections, and a spring catch on the other of the rib sections adapted to engage the rigid catch and lock the rib sections against pivotal movement with respect to each other, a portion of the brace being adapted to engage the spring catch and disengage said catches upon pivotal movement of the brace with respect to the rib section to which it is pivoted.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day of January, A. D. 1914.

CHARLES ALLEN BACON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. SPRINKLE, CHARLES H.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

